The Lions motto is “We Serve”, and on Sunday they served up two hours of fun at the Midway arena as the Kettle River Lions Club held their annual free skate on Sunday afternoon.
Kids and adults, but mostly kids, were enjoying the ice time, free hotdogs and hot chocolate.
According to club president Steve Kirkham the clubs’ membership remains steady at 24 members. This is in contrast to other Lions groups in the southern interior where numbers are falling.
By way of a membership drive the local club has extended an invitation to members of the Greenwood Board of Trade to join them. As a way to get the prospects feet wet the Board of Trade will be helping out with the annual Lions Christmas Hampers this year.
“We are looking for a good project to focus on,” Kirkham told the Times. “So if anyone in the area has any ideas they should contact us.” He explained this could either be a project that the Lions would take on themselves or in partnership with other groups(s) in the community. “It is wide open, but they have got to get that project idea in to us.”
The Lions work is most often done behind the scenes. Examples of how they have helped in the community over the past year include bursaries for BCSS grads, helping fund a field trip for BCSS acting students to attend acting workshops on Vancouver Island, support for the West Boundary Elementary PAC, donations sent to the BC Lions for Easter Seal House and Camp Winfield, donations to the Osoyoos Autism Society support group, the Beaverdell kids fishing derby, they helped a local couple whose baby was born prematurely (baby and mom are doing well).
The Lions also helped support the Kettle River Seniors Wheels of Wellness Car, helped fund a babysitting training course, assisted with hockey fees so everyone who wanted to play had the opportunity and they have committed to supporting the establishment of a volunteer fire response in the Kettle Valley.
The club meets twice monthly. Major fundraisers are the meat draw at the Prospector in Rock Creek at 3 p.m. each Saturday and a food booth at the Rock Creek fall fair.